ELCA NEWS SERVICE June 9, 2008 James Arends Elected Bishop of ELCA La Crosse Area Synod 08-082-LT* CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Rev. James A. Arends, Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, La Crescent, Minn., was elected June 7 to a six-year term as bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) La Crosse (Wis.) Area Synod at the synod assembly June 5-7 at Luther College, Decorah, Iowa. On Oct. 1 he succeeds the Rev. April Ulring Larson, bishop of the La Crosse Area Synod, who has served as bishop since 1992. Because of term limits, Larson could not seek re-election. Arends' installation as bishop is planned for Oct. 18 in La Crosse at a site to be determined. On the fifth and final ballot for bishop, Arends received 155 votes, and the Rev. Brian C. King, Bethany Lutheran Church, Iowa Falls, Iowa, received 113 votes. The Rev. J. David Bersagel, Our Savior's Lutheran Church, West Salem, Wis, was a candidate on the fourth ballot. There were five candidates nominated. Arends, 56, was born in Willmar, Minn. He earned a bachelor of arts degree from Augsburg College, Minneapolis, and a master of divinity degree from Luther Seminary, St. Paul, Minn. Augsburg College is one of 28 ELCA colleges and universities; Luther Seminary is one of eight ELCA seminaries. Ordained in 1981, Arends was pastor of Cross of Glory Lutheran Church, Brooklyn Center, Minn.; Community Lutheran Church, Geneva, Minn.; and Trinity Lutheran Church, Spring Grove, Minn., before he was called to Prince of Peace in 2002. Arends and his wife Lynn are the parents of two adult sons and one adult daughter. The ELCA La Crosse Area Synod consists of approximately 43,600 Lutherans in 81 congregations across 10 counties in western Wisconsin and southeastern Minnesota. The synod office is in La Crosse. -- -- -- The home page of the ELCA La Crosse Area Synod is at http://www.lacrosseareasynod.org/ on the Web. *Luke Tatge is a senior journalism major at Augustana College, Sioux Falls, S.D. This summer he is an intern with the ELCA News Service. For information contact: John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or [log in to unmask] http://www.elca.org/news ELCA News Blog: http://www.elca.org/news/blog